Benzema is Zidane's number 9

Florentino Pérez to Zidane: "Who should we sign now?" Although the question seems like it could have been made yesterday, it was in fact four years ago. More precisely, it was on 18th July 2009 and it was after three long weeks of failed negotiations to try and sign Villa.

Real Madrid was left high and dry without a natural number 9. The president phoned Miguel Ángel Gil to enquire about Forlan and the answer also came back negative. After bringing in Kaká and Cristiano Ronaldo, this star-studded backdrop needed a centre forward to really tie the team together, and Zidane came up with the perfect reply: "Bring in Benzema". The rest, as they say, is history: Florentino hopped on a plane to Lyon, sealed the deal with his pal Aulas and then went round to Benzema's house to bring him to Madrid.

Four years later, Florentino has asked Zidane the very same question again. "Mr president, the best number 9 is Karim", Zizou replied a few days ago, when he spoke to the club's president about signing a striker to cover the slot expected to be vacated by Higuaín.

Zidane is convinced that Benzema only needs to be given Ancelotti's confidence to become the best centre forward in Europe. In the league season that Madrid got 100 points and scored 121 goals, the Frenchman had his best year out of the four he's spent with Real Madrid, scoring 32 goals in 52 official games.